The Italians beat Belgium 2-0 in the opener of the European Championship in Lyon.
Antonio Conte got several things right against Belgium, most importantly he demonstrated that you can play a great game even when the quality is up against you. Italy tonight played a completely different style, albeit with the same formation than they did in the World Cup two years ago.
The Italy squad celebrate a 2-0 victory following the Euro 2016 group E football match between Belgium and Italy at the Parc Olympique Lyonnais stadium in Lyon on June 13, 2016. JEFF PACHOUD/AFP/Getty Images
The Group – This is undoubtedly the number one thing Antonio Conte has hammered into his team’s heads. The are no egos, no attitudes, no hot heads, no primadonna’s. It’s made of real men. Daniele De Rossi said immediately following Italy’s loss to Uruguay in 2014, that the national team needed to be made up of exactly that. Italy’s spirit tonight was the difference maker, even when under heavy fire, nobody slouched, nobody cowered. Built on defense and made to score on the counter, obviously there will be periods of suffering in the match. The difference is the mentality that Conte has instilled in his soldiers.
Organization – Some countries may have excellent individual defenders, but Italy’s entire organizational structure was perfectly constructed this evening.
Switching back and forth from flank to flank and controlling the Belgian wingers was no easy task and it has been the backbone of what has made Belgium the “dark horses” of the tournament. Italy kept them at bay for 90 minutes, and on one occasion got the help of a little bit of luck from a Fellaini miscue in the box. However, outside of Nainggolan’s first half effort, there was no true testing effort that Buffon faced. The midfield and defense absorbed the pressure, and the wings and strikers launched the counters.
Italy’s COMPACTNESS and DISCIPLINE when defending. Great teamwork. Conte got it spot on tonight. #ITA #BEL #EURO2016 http://pic.twitter.com/SSumwB9hji
— The Analysts Eye (@TheAnalysisVids) June 13, 2016
Retro-Italia – Italy has won 4 World Cups, 1 European Championship and 1 Olympic Gold Medal over the course of time. And never once in any of those winning campaigns did they do it through an army of world-class strikers. Sure, in recent history there have been the Del Piero’s, the Totti’s, the Gilardino’s, but it’s always been the defense that has won titles for Italy. Like Del Piero recently stated; “Attackers sell tickets, defenders win championships”. In order for Italy to have any real say in this competition, they must go back to basics, and tonight they did. Absorbing the defensive pressure and springing back on the counter. Mix in Bonucci who has an incredible range and vision, goals like the one Giaccherini scored tonight shouldn’t come as a surprise.
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